CALGARY, Nov. 3, 2016 /CNW/ - On October 22, 2016 the Centennial Planetarium once again opened its doors to Canada's cultural revolutionaries for LOOK2016, Contemporary Calgary's premiere fundraiser. The evening consisted of a rousing live and silent art auction which alone raised over $295,000, and featured a conversation on the art of our times between entertainment legend Steve Martin and culture writer Adam Gopnik (The New Yorker), with some guests attending an exclusive pre-event VIP Dinner prepared by Brett McDermott (Our Daily Brett). Following the formal program, LOOK2016 transformed into The Factory Party, a riotous after party that attracted nearly 1,000 guests, filling the building with a fresh group of partiers paying as little as $25 to close out the party in Andy Warhol-inspired style.
Earlier this year, The City of Calgary approved $24.5 Million for the refurbishment of the Centennial Planetarium, with Contemporary Calgary as its anchor tenant. Fundraising from LOOK2016 contributed to SHAPE, a fundraising initiative to raise $5 Million in commitments to support Contemporary Calgary operations into 2020 while the building is being transformed. Over $900,000 in multi-year pledges to the SHAPE campaign were made at LOOK2016, bringing total SHAPE proceeds since October 2016 to $3 Million. Fundraising will continue into the new year.
"It is because of events like LOOK and campaigns like SHAPE that we can continue to offer programming that exposes Calgarians and visitors to our city to the art of our times year round, free of charge. We hope to see this momentum carry on throughout the upcoming year, as we look forward to major growth," said Contemporary Calgary CEO & Director Pierre Arpin. "It is clear from the response we felt in the room at LOOK and from the commitments made via SHAPE that nothing can stop this community when they believe in something. I'm very grateful for that."
LOOK2016 artists in attendance included many who contributed to the live and silent auction: Ron Moppet, Janet Werner, Kim Dorland, Diane Landry, Mark Dicey, Kristopher Karklin, Shawn Evans, Chris Cran, David Burdeny, Joe Fleming, Samantha Walrod, Chris Flodberg, Amy Dryer, Rhys Farrell, Aron Hill, Jeremy Pavka, Anda Kubis, and Bradley Harms, who also contributed an interactive installation, #CitizenPong, to The Factory Party. Art installations were provided for LOOK2016 by Sasha Foster, Dave Dyment, and Natural Real Supreme (Sara Rennie and Sean Taal).
LOOK2016 was supported by sponsors National Bank, Holt Renfrew, and the City of Calgary.
ABOUT CONTEMPORARY CALGARY
Contemporary Calgary was formed in early 2014 with the vision to further establish Calgary as a global city of choice through exhibitions, distinguished speakers, community outreach and educational programs that expose Calgarians and visitors to the art of our times.
The iconic Centennial Planetarium, itself a work of art, will be transformed into a significant public cultural destination for Calgary and its visitors featuring modern and contemporary art. The City of Calgary's recent approval of $24.5 million for the building's refurbishment, combined with exhibitions at our current gallery on Stephen Avenue and successful fundraising campaigns continue to raise awareness and funds to transform this historic building. Contemporary Calgary continues to provide opportunities for collaborative community partnerships while building a hub for Calgarians and visitors of all ages. For more information, please visit www.contemporarycalgary.com.
B-ROLL AND PHOTOGRAPHY AVAILABLE BY REQUEST
SOURCE Contemporary Calgary
Image with caption: "Entertainment legend Steve Martin assists auctioneer Stephen Ranger (Waddington’s) to auction a Chris Cran piece (pictured left) at LOOK2016, Contemporary Calgary’s premier fundraiser, on October 22, 2016. A piece by artist Diane Landry is also pictured, behind Ranger. (CNW Group/Contemporary Calgary)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20161103_C1027_PHOTO_EN_811318.jpg
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